


the pursuit of knowledge

by lethargicProfessor



Series: Undergrad AU [1]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-05-05 04:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5361389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethargicProfessor/pseuds/lethargicProfessor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>College students live in a constant state of exhaustion.</p><p>(In which everyone is a massive nerd.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. common grounds

Komui liked working in the coffee shop. It was small and off-campus, which meant he didn’t have to deal with the usual rush of college students Starbucks had on the daily. It was generally quiet, and the smell of coffee had a calming effect on Komui.

Because the shop was so small, and out of the way for most students, it had become the preferred hangout of the science majors. The science building was only a block away, which made it the best spot to fuel up before class.

Most days, though, Komui was content to fill a couple of orders every so often and devote the rest of his time to studying until someone he knew showed up.

It was nearing six when the bell jingled above the door, catching Komui’s attention. Reever waved weakly, hair disheveled and clothes rumpled more than usual. He dropped his bag on the bar carelessly, slumping over with a groan. “I finished two projects today. I can’t feel my body anymore.”

Komui hummed sympathetically, reaching for a cup. “Your usual then?”

“Please…” Reever lifted his head, glancing around the quiet shop. Besides himself and Komui, the only other person was Renny, working away at her computer like her life depended on it. Considering it was finals week, it probably did. “Cross isn’t here yet?”

“He’ll probably show up soon.” The door jingled as he spoke, and Cross stumbled in, looking as bedraggled as Reever.

He blinked owlishly for a moment, slowly adjusting to the dim lights of the coffee shop, before making a beeline to the counter. “I have a very serious question to ask you.”

“No, Cross. Substituting food for caffeine is not a good idea and you should really stop suggesting it.” Komui said absently, finishing Reever’s drink. He didn’t see it, but he could very clearly picture the scowl on Cross’ face.

“You’re the worst best friend anyone could ever have.” Cross stated, reaching across the counter to grab halfheartedly at the drink. Komui pulled it away, setting it down in front of Reever. Cross followed, sitting beside him, reaching for the drink again. “You working here was my idea, remember?”

“The only reason you suggested it was so that I could give you free coffee,” Komui pointed out, slapping Cross’ hand away from Reever’s drink. Reever cracked a grin, slurping at his drink to rub it in.

“Which you never do.” Cross said, crossing his arms in a huff.

Reever winked, blowing Komui a kiss. “That’s because he likes me better than he likes you.”

“Now, now, don’t start. I love you both very much.” Komui struggled to keep the smile off his face at the betrayed look Cross shot him.

“That’s great, but do you love me enough to get me free drinks or not?” He demanded, ignoring Reever’s laughter.

Komui pretended to think about it, already reaching for a new cup. “Your orders aren’t the kind that you get to have for free, Cross. If you didn’t order so much shit, then I wouldn’t mind.”

“How many shots can you legally add to my drink?” Cross eventually groused, digging out his wallet.

“For you? Two.” Cross on a caffeine high was generally bad, but Cross after crashing was a whole other monster Komui didn’t have the energy to deal with.

Cross beamed at him. “Can I get a cinnamon dolce latte with five shots of espresso?”

Komui closed his eyes, counting to ten, remind himself that throttling Cross would be a bad idea. “No, because I’m pretty sure that will kill you.”

“Even better,” Cross grinned, slapping his card on the counter. “Make it six shots. Maybe it’ll kill me before I have to turn in my final.”

“I’m not helping you kill yourself via caffeine overdose,” Komui sighed, scrawling Cross’ name on the cup. “You’re getting tea, or nothing at all.”

“Could you brew it with Monster instead of water?” Cross asked, watching Komui work. Reever snorted, choking on his drink. Komui studiously ignored them, focusing all of his energies on Cross’ order.

Reever cleared his throat, nudging Cross to get his attention. “What happened to you? You missed Leverrier’s lecture today again. You know how he gets.”

“Epstein happened,” Cross sighed, dropping his head on the counter. “I had to skip to finish his fucking assignment.” Twisting in his seat, Cross glanced around, flapping his hand at Renny. “Renny, babe, why’s your old man such a fucking twat?”

“Leave her alone.” Komui pressed Cross’s drink against his cheek, laughing at his startled yelp. Renny raised an eyebrow at them, but Komui could see the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Cross grumbled, taking a careful sip of his drink. “She’s alright, she won’t do anything.”

“She’s on the wrestling team, you know,” Reever said, prying the top off his drink, licking at the whipped cream on top. “Bak said that Malcolm said she’s getting into bodybuilding.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Cross scoffed, snatching sugar packets from behind the counter before Komui could grab them back.

Shrugging in defeat, Komui began cleaning up, listening to Reever and Cross compare notes. He hadn’t had Epstein that semester, but just listening to them made his head hurt. He had been lucky enough to get Yeegar instead, but he knew he had Epstein and Leverrier in the spring, and that alone made up for the easy fall.

The door jingled again as the door banged open, a tiny figure outlined in the sunset. “Worry not, nerds, I’m here now!”

Reever rolled his eyes when Bak walked in, swaggering up to the counter as if he wasn’t 5’5 and about as heavy as Komui’s chemistry textbooks.

“Pot, kettle? Anyone?” Cross said under his breath, snatching Reever’s drink to steal a sip. Reever snickered, looking away at Bak’s curious stare.

“Iced skinny hazelnut latte,” Bak said, waving at Komui dismissively. “Venti, sugar-free,  _obviously_.”

“The Starbucks is on campus, Bak.” Komui said, writing the order down anyways.

“Life’s too short to go sugar-free,” Cross murmured around Reever’s drink, sliding his tea over, disturbing the small mountain of sugar packets he had piled and subsequently poured into his drink.

Reever shook his head but took the drink anyways. “I’m pretty sure there’s more sugar in this than in my macchiato, Cross.”

“But this tastes better.” Cross reached for his tea again, taking a gulp of it and of Reever’s drink.

Bak wrinkled his nose in disgust. “You’re going to get fat if you keep drinking those sugar bombs, Marian.”

Komui clicked his tongue softly, watching as Cross stood to his full height, towering over Bak. “You shouldn’t have said that.”

“Gonna get fat, huh?” Smirking, Cross took Reever’s drink, chugging it defiantly as he raised his shirt to his chest, showing off his abs. Bak sputtered loudly, cheeks flaming red, hives starting to break out across his skin. Cross, victorious, sat down again, slamming the empty cup on the counter.

“Really, Bak, you should know better than to provoke Cross.” Komui fought to keep the smile off his face, setting Bak’s order down on the counter before the sputtering man.

“Really, Froggy, I thought you were smarter than that.” A soft voice spoke up. Renny’s smile sharpened at Bak’s strangled squeak, squeezing between him and Cross to hand Komui her bill.

Cross balked as she turned her sharp gaze at him, smile positively devilish. “You really should take better care of your health, Cross. Your metabolism can only carry you so far.”

She turned to leave but stopped at the door, lifting the hem of her shirt in farewell. Bak choked, hives breaking out all over, and even Cross was speechless as Renny and her six-pack walked out.


	2. haunting grounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fic or treat~! Halloween for the College AU with Cross, Komui and that lot. Extra spooky, if possible?

 

“This is such a bad idea, Cross.” Komui whispered, flashlight gripped tightly in sweaty palms.

Cross, face half-shrouded in darkness, smirked. “What are you talking about? It’s  _tradition_ , Lee.”

Bak, for his part, was suspiciously silent. Komui turned the light towards him, shaking his head at the red blotches across his skin. “Already, Bak? Really?”

Bak sniffed indignantly, turning his head away from the light. “S-shut up! Let’s just get this over with.”

“We’re supposed to be waiting for Renny,” Cross muttered, checking his phone. The screen lit his face with a sickly pallor. “She’s late.”

“Reever said he’d be here soon too,” Komui said, checking his own phone in case he missed any messages from his friend. “It’s almost time.”

“Spending the night in the old medical building,” Cross whispered, looking up at rundown building. “Every senior has to spend a night, or else they won’t graduate.”

“Which, if you ask me, is  _completely_  illogical.” Bak muttered, hands tucked under his armpits. “And why do we have to do it today of all days?”

“It’s Halloween, duh.” Cross shrugged, tapping a cigarette out of a pack. “If we’re going to do this, we’re doing it right.”

They fell still as a car drove by, headlights throwing shadows across the building. Every branch turned into a gnarled hand, every rattle of leaves in the breeze a whisper.

Komui rubbed his arms, watching his breath spiral above his head in the chill. “We should go in before we get caught.”

Cross lit his cigarette. “Might as well.”

The front door was locked, but Cross picked the padlock with an ease that genuinely worried Komui. Once the chains were pulled away from the doors, they pushed their way in.

The medical building had been abandoned for fifty years, the building going into disrepair when the school built a newer, state-of-the-art establishment closer to the main campus. It was easier to get to for most students, and bigger to accommodate larger classes.  The cost of tearing down the old building was more than it was to keep it up, so it was left behind to rot.

It was in the 60s, according to legend, that things started to get weird. Teenagers began sneaking into the building to smoke or screw or cause general mischief, which was expected. The graffiti along the walls was proof enough of that.

And then they found bodies in the morgue, bodies that hadn’t been part of the school’s program. After that, people began reporting strange lights and sounds inside the old building. When the police were dispatched to investigate, they found nothing.

“People have  _died_  here,” Bak hissed, trailing after Cross and Komui as they picked their way through the debris. Most of the building had been cleaned out, but outdated equipment too big to move was left behind. Broken glass littered the ground, and their flashlights caught the glint of used needles tossed in corners.

“This place is a mess.” Cross rubbed his nose, cigarette dangling loosely from between his fingers. “We need a place to camp out for the night that isn’t a hotbed for diseases.”

“There won’t be a place like that here.” Bak stepped on a broken vial, crushing it underfoot. “Can we leave?”

“You can leave, Chang,” Cross snapped back, shining his light in Bak’s face. “Just stop your bitching. I don’t care if you don’t graduate.”

“Knock it off–!” The sound of something creaking echoed down the hall, the screech of metal on concrete setting them on edge. Bak wheezed, stumbling behind Komui, and even Cross stepped back warily as footsteps crunching over glass reached their ears.

Komui breathed a sigh of relief as Reever came into view, a frazzled looking Renny close on his heels. “Hey…We thought you left.”

“Took you long enough.” Cross turned away from the newcomers, shining his light deeper down the hall.

Renny brushed her hair back, shoving a backpack into Bak’s chest. “The police were patrolling around the building. We had to wait until they left.”

Bak grunted, patting the heavy backpack. “What’s all this?”

“If we’re spending the night, we have to be prepared, right?” Reever looked around, a frown on his face. “You…didn’t bring anything, did you?”

“Nope.” Cross walked ahead, already heading to the stairwell. “Let’s keep going.”

The group slowly picked their way upstairs, chattering idly to fill the oppressive silence. Komui didn’t want to mention it, but he felt like someone was watching them, eyes boring into the back of his neck as they pushed their way into the seventh floor.

“I think these were labs,” Cross said, propping the door open for the rest to trickle through. “I don’t remember the layout too well.”

“All I know is that the morgue is in the basement.” Komui added, stepping around a fallen gurney. “And we’re definitely not going there.”

“Why not?” Renny asked, peering down the hall. “It probably won’t be in too bad a shape, considering people don’t like going down there.”

“People don’t like going there because people  _died_  there!” Bak covered his mouth, eyes wide. In a softer tone, he continued. “Why do you people keep forgetting that? People have died in this building!”

“We don’t actually know that the people were killed in the morgue.” Reever mused, holding the door for Cross. “For all we know, they were murdered in one of these floors and then taken down to the morgue.”

The students glanced around, the suspicious dark spots on the floors and walls taking on new meaning.

“With that delightful thought in mind, let’s keep going.”

They picked an exam room in the east wing, tucked neatly into a corner, and began clearing it out as best they could. Once settled, Renny and Reever passed out food and water that they had thankfully had the foresight to bring.

Cross checked his phone, leaning back against the door. “T-minus six hours. How’s everyone feeling?”

“Like I’m going to need a lot of coffee to get through tomorrow.” Komui said, sharing a wan smile with Reever.

“That’s called dependency. It’s generally considered a bad thing.” Cross said, smirking as he lit another cigarette.

Komui raised an eyebrow at him, and Bak coughed pointedly. Cross shrugged. “We’re not perfect, alright? Baby steps.”

The hours dragged on, and Komui eventually dozed off, head resting on Reever’s shoulder. His dreams were sadly dashed by someone roughly shaking him awake. “Wake up, wake up!”

“What?” Groggy, he waved the person away, fumbling for his glasses. “Wha’s goin’ on?”

“Shh!” Komui bit his cheek, looking around. The others were in various states of disarray, all standing stock-still, their harsh breathing filling the room.

Slowly, sounds filtered in through the closed door, a distinctive echo of footsteps making their way down the hall.

“Maybe it’s another student?” Bak breathed, eyes wide and terrified. It made sense; the science program had a fair amount of students, and all of them had to make time to spend the night in the building at some point.

Then a groan, deep and tortured, ripped through the air, growing louder as the footsteps shuffled closer.

Komui instinctively slapped his hand over Bak’s mouth, suppressing a concerned whimper of his own. Even Cross and Renny looked worried, and Cross shifted slightly to press his weight against the door.

Through the frosted glass, they saw a shadow slowly make its way across the hall, pausing for a moment in front of their door before moving on.

Bak slid to the floor slowly, supported by Reever, as the group exchanged wary glances.

“It could still be outside,” Renny whispered, fingers clenched around Komui’s discarded flashlight.

“We can’t stay in here. We’re sitting ducks.”

“Cross is right,” Reever said, squeezing Bak’s arm. “We need to make a run for it.”

“What if there’s more of them?” Bak’s voice was feeble, and Komui felt panic build in his gut.

Cross frowned, standing carefully. “Then staying here won’t do any good.”

Gathering their things, they braced themselves as Cross cracked the door open. “Come on.”

The hallway was clear, and they quickly slipped out of the room, struggling to stay silent on the broken glass under their feet. The door to the stairs let out an almighty screech as they pulled it open, but they didn’t wait around to see if someone came to them.

Komui couldn’t remember the last time he had run so fast, his pulse pounding in his head as they scrambled down the stairs to the first floor. They burst through the door in a tangle of limbs, and lurched to the door as a whole.

Cross, for whatever reason, glanced back, stopping so suddenly that Renny and Komui crashed into his back.

“What is it?” Renny snapped, spitting hair out of her mouth.

“That wasn’t there before.” Cross whispered, pointing behind them slowly.

In slow motion, Komui turned, staring blankly at the CPR dummy propped up in what used to be the service station, mouth open in a soundless scream. Komui was positive they would have noticed something like that when they entered.

Something creaked, and the chair the dummy was in swiveled ever so slightly.

They tore out of the building in a flurry, screams echoing in the night.


	3. hunting grounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When it gets really windy I look like a bizarre combination of Marilyn Monroe and Cousin It.” Cross Marian. Please just, someone saying this about Cross? Maybe Rennie, maybe Winters?? I don't know, but I as soon as I read it I could clearly picture Cousin Marilyn It!Cross.

“ _Es_ , like…” Winters snaps his fingers as if that’ll make the words come easier. “ _Tio Cosa_? The Addamses?”

“Cousin It,” Klaud agrees, taking a sip of her drink as they sit at a bench, watching Cross struggle across campus. His trench coat flaps around him, the strong winds blowing it up while his hair whips around his face. “But also Marilyn, don’t you think?”

They hear him sputter, watching as he frantically tries to push his hair out of his face and hold his coat down at the same time.

“ _Que_ _desastre_.”

“Absolutely.”


	4. final grind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I really like your college au with Komui and the others, it's nice to see some "minor" characters getting screen time. I also happen to be going through finals myself, so I was wondering if you could do something with that lot suffering/coping with the end of term?

“Are you nerds alive?”

Komui started, jerking awake as a pile of papers and notes tipped off his lap. “Damn it!”

Cross, hanging off his bed in a daze, swore as he fell off, squinting as the door to their room opened up.  Reever, half-asleep, mumbled incoherently and turned away from the light as Klaud and Winters walked in.

“Oh, thank god,” Cross wheezed, launching himself at the plastic bag Klaud was carrying. “You’re a fucking angel, Klaud.”

“Go on,” Klaud hummed, picking her way through the messy room to the window, wrenching it open with a grunt. “Have any of you losers eaten in the past three days?”

“I think so?” Komui yawned, gathering his paperwork as Reever shook his head.

“I haven’t slept in a week, what makes you think I have time for food?” Cross muttered, dumping out the contents of the plastic bag on his bed. A pack of energy drinks and a box of granola bars tumbled out; he tossed the bars to Komui, and proceeded to chug the energy drinks.

“Time doesn’t exist anymore,” Reever told them, the bags under his eyes more prominent than ever. “Time is a construct. We’ve _transcended_  that.”

Winters laughed, leaning in to whisper something to Klaud. She shook her head, perching herself on Komui’s desk. “So I take it finals aren’t going well?”

“I have five papers to finish and two projects to present.” Cross tossed an empty can at their communal trash can, wincing as it bounced off the rim. “No, it’s fucking  _not_ , Klaud.”

“Are you two done with finals already?” Komui asked, dragging himself across the room to take the case of energy drinks away from Cross. Cross hissed at him, and they fell in a tangle of limbs as they feebly fought for control of the cans.

“ _Solo_ _tuve_ _tres_ _exámenes_ ,” Winters leaned back, taking Klaud’s phone to film the fight for control. “ _Pan_ _comido._ ”

“Three tests?” Cross demanded, wrenching a can away from Komui and curling around it. “On what? How to intimidate your professors into giving you a passing grade?”

“Spanish, stupid.” Winters flipped him off, handing the phone back to Klaud. “Latin American Studies.”

“I have another final tomorrow,” Klaud said, fiddling with her phone. Komui’s phone went off somewhere in his pile of papers, the notification for Facebook muffled in the mess. “But I’m done after that.”

“What the  _fuck_?” Cross whispered with feeling. “Why is everyone done but us?”

“You would have been done if you weren’t doing three majors,” Reever pointed out around a mouthful of granola.

Cross frowned, opening his mouth to disagree, but closed it after a moment. “Yeah, that sounds like me.”

Klaud shook her head, leaning against Winters. “You’re a human disaster, Cross.”

“Thank you. It takes practice and a lot of natural talent,” he shot back, lobbing his wallet at them. Winters caught it easily, opening it up. “Thanks for the fuel. If we make it through finals in one piece, I’ll treat you to lunch.”

“You better,” Winters warned, pocketing some of the cash as Klaud slid off the desk. They left as quickly as they arrived, the door banging shut behind them.

Reever sniffed absently, sorting through his notes. “Your friends kinda scare me, Cross.”

“Me too.”


	5. hallowed ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> trickstergames asked:  
> Mm, what about the science college au with everyone just having one big holiday party together, maybe getting drunk for new years?

Klaud cornered him in the kitchen, hefting an empty bottle of tequila like a mace. Cross half-wondered what he’d done to deserve a club with a bottle that day, and was visibly relieved when she set it down with a resolute thud.

Until she opened her mouth.

“One of your nerdy friends is flirting with Winters and I’m _concerned_ ,” she said over the general din of the partygoers.

Cross hoped he was mishearing her, and ran through the very short list of people who would be brave enough to approach Winters in the first place. “I’m sorry, what?”

She rolled her eyes and motioned for him to follow, weaving through the drunken crowd effortlessly. Cross followed, a lot less gracefully, throwing a couple of elbows to part through the majority of the science department.

Klaud stood by the living room doorway, motioning him in with his head. Wary, and more than a little drunk, Cross walked in.

Renny and Winters were sitting across from each other, coffee table between them lined with shots of tequila. Without breaking eye contact, they tossed back shots, completely ignoring the crowd gathered around them.

“Is…” He tilted his head, glancing at Klaud. “Is…this flirting? Is this considered flirting?”

Klaud shrugged. “It’s Winters.”

Which, true, but this was bizarre even for him. And Renny had always been an enigma wrapped in a conundrum, so Cross couldn’t be sure if this was normal for her or not.

He paled when Renny slammed her last shot glass down on the table, leaning dangerously close to a surprisingly mellow Winters. Cross reached out to grab Klaud’s arm and missed, mashing the palm of his hand against her cheek awkwardly.

“Klaud,” he breathed, squishing her face. “Klaud, this is a _disaster_.”

“You’re a disaster,” Klaud muttered, trying to pull her face away from his flailing limbs. “But why is this bad?”

“ _Because_!” He pressed closer, the holiday music swelling in the background as a freshman bumped into the sound system. “Because if they’re weird flirting they might fuck!”

Klaud gripped his wrists to pry him off her face. “Why is that bad? It happens all the time. You do it all the time.”

Cross gaped at her. “First of all, how dare you. Second, this apartment is _sacred_! Sacred, Klaud! No one has done the deed in this apartment since we’ve been here.”

He was mildly insulted at the deadpan look she gave him. “I’m serious! That’s the rule! No one fucks in our apartment ever!”

“So you’re saying you’re going to get between them?”

Cross huffed, wiggling his fingers in her face. “No. Of course not. I’m drunk not suicidal.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

Cross wiggled his hands out of her grip, reaching into the crowd, somehow managing to reel in Bak by his scarf. “Bak is going to stop them.”

“I’m wha?” The tiny science nerd gaped at them, cheeks ruddy and eyes too bright, only managing to stay upright through Cross’s hold on his shoulders.

“He’s perfect,” Cross insisted at Klaud’s unimpressed look. “He can handle it.”

“I can handle it,” Bak parroted, letting Cross maneuver him through the crowd. “What am I handling?”

“You are on a sacred mission to stop my friend and your friend from banging.”

Bak nodded like a bobble head until he was within sight of Renny and Winters, where he proceeded to shake his head vigorously. “No. Nope, nope, nope nope.” He squirmed out of Cross’s grip and disappeared back into the crowd, his height working to his advantage for once.

Cross groaned, trying to ignore the sounds of face-sucking behind him, resigning himself to a day of thorough disinfecting.


	6. Chapter 6

Komui’s first class as an official college student was at eight in the morning, with Dr. Yeagar.

His logic, when setting up his schedule, was that he could stack his schedule in the morning, and have the afternoon off to do whatever college students did with their free time.

He severely underestimated how tired he would be at eight in the morning, standing outside the science building in the freezing pre-dawn light. A handful of other students had shown up before him, and were huddled together near the doors for warmth.

Komui sniffled miserably into his sleeve, stamping his feet to get some sensation back into them. His roommate, Reever, was running late, but had promised to bring him coffee. Still, he wasn’t sure if he’d make it until that happened.

A couple of students were calling friends, and someone was whispering about attendance rules. “We can leave if he doesn’t show up in fifteen minutes, you know.”

Komui ignored them, checking his phone with trembling fingers to see where his roommate was. “This is ridiculous…”

“Get outta the way, nerds,” a loud voice called, obnoxiously loud amidst the whispering students.

Komui stepped back as a redhead stalked up the steps to the building, wearing sweats and a school hoodie. He had a coffee cup in his hands, which he thrust unceremoniously into Komui’s chest. “Hold this shit for me.”

He would have complained, but the mug was warm enough to thaw out his frozen fingers, so he stood beside the door. The rest of the students waiting outside huddled around him, shivering and whispering.

The upperclassman crouched by the door, fussing with the lock. It took Komui a few seconds to realize he was picking the lock.

Another student, one Komui vaguely recognized from orientation, sniffed indignantly. “What are you _doing_?”

“I’m making sure no one freezes to death on the first day,” the redhead grunted, breathing on his fingers as they slipped from the pick. “If you have a problem, Chang, you’re cordially invited to suck my dick.”

The student – Chang? – sputtered but fell silent as the lock clicked, the redhead opening the door with a flourish. “If you nerds want to pay me back, I’m Cross, I live in Redcliffe Hall, and I take Starbucks gift cards.”

Cross gazed at the crowd of freshmen smugly, taking his coffee back with a grin. “I’m their god now.”

“You’re really not,” Komui found himself replying, but he couldn’t fight the grin on his face.

“I will be, don’t you worry.” Cross winked, leading the way into the building. “This way, young padawans.”

(Security showed up twenty minutes later, followed by a grudging police office responding to the break-in call. They took Cross away, even as he assured Komui that it happened all the time. That wasn’t a reassuring thought.)


	7. Chapter 7

The child – really, he couldn’t be more than a toddler, if that – burbled happily when Komui walked into the lab, chubby little fingers reaching out toward him. The baby was sitting in an open backpack, said backpack hung on the back of a chair.

Komui stared at the child, slurping at his coffee slowly, and addressed the room as a whole. “Why is there a baby in the lab?”

Cross, the only other person in the lab, grunted from his work station. “You can’t leave babies unsupervised.”

Which, _yes_. Komui took another sip of his coffee, setting his bag down with his eyes still trained on the baby. “Is it… _your_ baby?”

“Yes? No.” Cross huffed, pushing his hair away from his face irritably. Komui peeked at his workstation, spying a few scattered equations and old notes. “He’s not _mine_ but I’m in charge of him. It’s a long story.”

“Obviously.” Komui sat at his table, setting his bag down. The baby squealed, delighted, and waved. Komui returned the wave. “But, um. Baby. In the lab. In a backpack.”

“He likes it, okay?” Cross snapped, snapping his fingers at the baby to get his attention. “Right, Allen? You like the backpack?”

The baby laughed, eyes bright as he took the room in. Komui shook his head, hardly surprised. Cross had done worse, honestly, and the baby seemed okay. “Whose is he?”

Cross muttered under his breath, scratching at some equations. “Do you know the Campbells?”

“I know of them,” Komui replied mildly, pulling out his laptop. Most everyone knew about the Campbells, if only because Neah Campbell was a goddamn menace to society. “I didn’t know they had kids.”

Cross hummed again, snatching a paper from his desk and waving it at Komui’s face. “Check this for me before I throw myself out the window.”

Heaving a sigh, Komui obliged, watching out of the corner of his eye as Cross approached the baby. Cross lifted the baby, backpack and all, and carried him over to Komui. The baby babbled eagerly, tiny hands grabbing at Cross’s glasses.

Cross seemed only slightly put-upon, letting the baby slide the glasses away and immediately put them in his mouth. “This is Allen. I’m his godfather for some godforsaken reason.”

Komui tried valiantly to fight the grin forming on his face. “You’re a godfather. Someone actually trusted you with the health and safety of another human being?”

“Trust me,” Cross muttered dryly. “I was as surprised as you are.”

Allen beamed, gumming up the lenses of Cross’s glasses. Komui laughed. “That’s disgusting.”

“Yeah.” Cross sighed, sitting back down at his table. “But Neah’s off doing something ridiculous and he left him on my doorstep this morning, so…”

“Why doesn’t the brother handle him?” Komui asked, scribbling some corrections on Cross’s work.

“Because Mana’s off handling whatever bullshit Neah’s getting into.” Cross rolled his eyes, face scrunching up as Allen slapped his hands across his mouth.

Komui snorted, diving for his phone. “Hold that thought, I need to record this.”

“I hate you and everything you stand for,” Cross said, the dark look he shot him lessened by the tiny brown hands slapping his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Before college, Komui would have felt an overwhelming apprehension at the thought of a small child hanging around a bunch of caffeine-addicted, questionably responsible college students in a science lab.

In his current state as one of those questionably responsible students, all he could really manage was a brief moment of concern before that flew out the window along with his sense of smell, taste, and self-preservation.

“I think I’m dying,” he said matter-of-factly, waving away the fumes wafting out of his beaker. Renny rolled her eyes at him, reaching across the table to turn the heat down on his burner. Komui noted absently that her sleeve soaked up half the chemicals on the table in the process.

She didn’t notice, returning to her side of the table. “I’m pretty sure you would know if you were dying,” she responded, raising her voice to be heard over the sudden clatter of pens falling to the ground. “Cross!”

“It wasn’t me!” He snapped from his station, reaching out to scoop Allen and his backpack into his arms. “He’s _bored_.”

The baby whined piteously, tiny fingers grabbing at Cross’s face and clothes before deciding it wasn’t enough. Bak snorted under his breath, nudging the fallen pens under the table as he walked past. “Babies don’t belong in the lab, Cross. This is against every safety rule we have.”

“I’m sorry, Chang, did I ask? I did not.” Cross wiggled his arms into the backpack, scooping the squirming, fussy child out while letting the bag drop to the floor.  “Also, fuck you, I’ve seen you warm coffee in a beaker in the lab so don’t you talk to me about _safety_ rules.”

Renny shook her head, eyeing Allen apprehensively as Cross moved past her. “He’s got a point, Marian. He could get hurt.”

“Nah, he’s invincible. He’s bumped his head so many times, you have no idea.” Cross said, casually prying a scalpel out of Allen’s fist. “Actually, I think I _will_ take him home.”

“How did he get a scalpel?” Bak squawked, gaping at the small boy.

Cross ignored him, setting Allen on his hip to grab at his phone. “You wanna come with me, Komui? I’m going to need backup.”

“Backup for what?” Komui asked, already moving to the door. “Renny, don’t let Bak ruin my formula please.”

“I promise nothing.”

Satisfied that Renny would keep Bak in check until Reever arrived, Komui hurried to catch up to Cross’s strides. “Where are we going?”

“Mikk’s place.” Komui could feel the derision in Cross’s voice as they marched out of the science building. “Mana’s out, and fuck if I’m leaving the kid with Neah.”

“And your fuckbuddy’s the next best alternative?” The sunlight burned after hours in the lab, and Komui squinted out into the world trying to get his bearings.

Cross hummed, patting Allen’s back as the boy began to sniffle. “They’re sort of related, I think? An uncle or cousin or some shit.”

“Neah and Mana are related to Mikk?” Komui hadn’t bothered to keep up with the Campbells, but clearly he was missing out on some reality show nonsense. “What?”

“Mana and Neah are brothers, Mikk’s a cousin or something? And so’s Klaud’s roommate.” Cross dodged a group of wayward freshmen, huffing as a couple squealed at Allen. “Mikk’s got an older brother who’s creepy as _fuck_ , mind you, and uh…” He shrugged, waving his free hand absently. “Honestly, I have no idea how their weird-ass family works.”

“You realize you’re part of that family now too, right?” Komui laughed at the look Cross shot him, equal parts horrified and insulted. “You’re Allen’s godfather. You’re going to be part of that family like it or not.”

Cross groaned, sputtering when Allen reached up to poke his nose. “Can you un-become a godfather? Is there a waiver I can sign?”

“You wouldn’t even if there was.” Allen burbled in agreement.

They reached Tyki’s apartment a few minutes later, the sounds of _sertanejo_ floating out of the open windows. Cross rolled his eyes, banging on the door. “Mikk!”

The music stopped, and a disheveled-looking Tyki answered the door with a frown. “ _Oque quer?”_

“Special delivery,” Cross deadpanned, holding Allen out to Tyki. “Congratulations.”

Allen laughed, tiny hands reaching out eagerly as Tyki plucked him out of Cross’s hands. “Why am I babysitting?” He asked, giving the small boy a once-over. “Isn’t that your job?”

“You’re babysitting because the Campbells are terrible people and I work in a lab with explosives.” Cross shrugged, wiping his hands on his shirt. “So the little shit machine’s all yours for the next four hours.”

Tyki heaved a sigh, setting Allen on his hip easily. “Fine…I’ll watch him until someone picks him up. It’ll be fun, right, _meu menino_?”

Allen clapped, thumping Tyki’s chest as he adjusted his grip. Cross frowned critically. “How sure are we that Allen’s not _your_ son, Mikk?”

Now that he mentioned it, Komui could see some similarities. Allen’s skin was a bit lighter, but they both shared the same dark hair and nose. Tyki sputtered, eyes widening comically as Allen laughed. “He’s not mine!”

“So you say,” Cross teased, smirking in victory as Tyki reddened. He opened his mouth to respond, but decided silence was the best course of action. Huffing, Tyki flipped them both off, stepping back into the apartment, taking care to slam the door in farewell.

“What a loser,” Cross snorted, turning back the way they came.

“You’ve fucked that loser, so what does that make you?” Komui asked, beaming at Cross before hauling ass back to the science labs, Cross hot on his heels.


	9. Chapter 9

Through unknown means Cross has become the designated Child Keeper ™ on campus and it is a source of endless pain for him.

* * *

He wakes up to pounding on his door, and is only mildly disappointed to find Mana on his doorstep, bouncing Allen lightly as the toddler beams at him.

“I need to take Neah to the hospital,” Mana says in lieu of greeting, hair loose and messy across his shoulders. Frankly, he looks a mess, and Cross doesn’t hesitate in plucking Allen out of his hands.

“You gonna be okay?” He asks instead, setting Allen on his hip, grateful he actually wore pants to bed the night before. Allen pats his arm, babbling softly as he settles in his godfather’s grip. “What did he do this time?”

“You don’t want to know.” Mana rolls his eyes, entirely too done with everything, and heaves a sigh. “I’m not sure how long it’ll take, okay? But, uh, please watch over Allen if I get sent to jail for murdering my brother.”

“I’ll do my best,” Cross deadpans, holding Allen out to receive a quick shower of kisses from Mana. The little boy laughs, delighted in the attention. “If you need bail, Winters knows some folks.”

“I’ll remember that.” And with that, Mana leaves as soon as he arrived.

Awake and with a toddler in hand, Cross has no choice but to start his day.

* * *

 

Komui finds him at lunch time with not one, but _two_ toddlers in his care, and Cross can feel the questions burning before he asks them.

“He’s not mine,” Cross says of the tiny redheaded monster eating applesauce in front of him. Allen, long done with his lunch, is snoozing on his shoulder, but stirs when Cross grumbles under his breath. “He’s _not,_ Komui, shut up.”

Komui sits across from him, clearly unconvinced, and waves hello at the boy on the table. “Should I be worried? How many other kids do you have that we don’t know of?”

The little redheaded shit beams at Komui, turning to look up at Cross with mischievous green eyes. “Papa?”

“Not on your _life_ , kid,” Cross grouses, staring at Komui pointedly as the boy laughs. “He’s Bookman’s grandson, his name is Lavi, and he’s _actually_ going to be the death of me.”

“I didn’t know he had a grandson.” Komui says, delving into his own lunch with unchecked fascination. “Why are people trusting you with their children? I’m shocked and appalled.”

“Not as much as I am, buddy.” Allen squirms in his arms, paddling in the air in an effort to reach the table and his new friend. Lavi, eager ball of energy that he is, stands on the table, reaching for Allen to assist, and only barely manages to keep his balance on the edge of the table.

Cross wheezes, shooting Komui a look that is clearly a cry for help even as Lavi attempts to launch himself at Allen again.

Komui eats his lunch loudly and pretends not to see him.

* * *

“I hope you’re getting paid for this,” Klaud calls out, holding Allen gently while Cross attempts to untangle three toddlers from their child leashes.

The sound Cross makes is borderline hysterical. “So do I!”

Allen laughs, waving eagerly at passers-by as they stop and coo at Cross, crouched on the ground with a frazzled look on his face, slowly picking apart three leashes while the children connected to them attempt to scramble off in different directions.

Klaud sighs, praying to whoever is listening for an ounce of patience. “Let me do it. You’re taking too long.”

“Why did this happen to me?” Cross asks, taking Allen gratefully as Klaud bodily pulls all three children to her. “I’m a good person. I pay my fucking taxes.”

The little ginger, Bookman’s grandson, looks up with razor-sharp focus, grinning. “Fucking taxes?”

“That’s right,” Cross sighs, ignoring the scandalized look Klaud aims his way. “Most of them, anyways.”

“You taught Bookman’s kid how to _swear_?” Klaud hadn’t had the pleasure of taking a Bookman class, but she had heard more than enough stories to know it wouldn’t end well. She picks apart the kid’s leash, looking up at Cross. “He’s going to skin you alive.”

“He won’t,” Cross says breezily, bouncing a fussing Allen in his arms. “Trust me.”

“I’ll be sure to cry a little at your funeral.” Klaud shakes her head, carefully sliding the other two leashes apart. One of the other little kids, a tiny scowling thing with a bowl cut, sniffs impatiently at her.

“I’m serious.” She hears Cross walk closer, taking hold of Lavi’s leash to keep them separate. “Kid, if your gramps asks who taught you to swear, what are you gonna say?”

The little boy grins, clearing his throat. “Tyki Mikk.”

“Atta boy.” The smugness in his voice is tangible, and Klaud rolls her eyes as she eases the remaining kids apart.

“You’re the worst,” she responds, holding the leashes out to Cross. “Here. Let’s get going before we miss the game.”

They switch kids again, and once Allen is secure in her arms, they make their way to the football field on campus. They promised Winters they would go out to watch him play, but Klaud doubts he was expecting them plus an entourage of children. The kids running ahead are mindful of their leashes this time, but it still takes Cross a load of effort to keep them apart.

“So, who gave you their kids this time?”

Cross shoots her a tired look, waving the leashes in his hands lightly. “Art professor, Doctor Martin, and Bookman. Yuu, Alma, Lavi, in that order.”

Yuu looks up at the mention of his name, growling at Cross until he trips over his own feet. Cross swears, stopping again to assess the damage.

They make it to the field in relatively good shape, and wave at Winters once they find a spot on the bleachers. Martin’s kid, Alma, waves at everyone passing by, looking up at Cross eagerly once they settle in their seats. “I play too?”

“Not today, kid.” Cross says over the disappointed whines. “It’s gonna get kind of ugly out there.”

Klaud snorts, watching Mikk stop mid-stretch to zoom to the bleachers. “ _Meu menino!_ ”

Allen waves his chubby arms as he nears, accidentally smacking Cross in the face. The action doesn’t endear Tyki to Cross any, and he glares at Tyki as he plucks Allen off his lap. “Let go of my kid.”

“He’s not _yours_ ,” Tyki dismisses, squeezing Allen lightly.

“Not yours either,” Cross mutters, taking Allen back only to set him on Klaud’s lap. The little boy doesn’t seem to mind, but Klaud’s going to demand a cut of the babysitting pay.

Tyki looks like he’s going to argue, but he’s cut short by Winters dragging him back out to the field. Klaud laughs, smoothing Allen’s hair down lightly. “I guess it’s good that Winters is an impatient fuck.”

“Impatient fuck,” Bookman’s kid parrots, settling back against Klaud’s knee. “Fuck!”

“I’m taking half of your babysitting check,” Klaud whispers to Cross, cringing as the other two kids pick up on Lavi’s cheers.


	10. Chapter 10

Cross was mildly concerned when he woke on Sunday to a muffled thump against his wall and a subsequent hiss of pain. 

There was a beat of silence, then a string of swears that did nothing to ease his apprehension.

As he lay in bed weighing the pros and cons of checking (and there were more cons than pros if he were honest with himself), the fire alarm in their apartment went off.

A soft cry of “ _Komui, for fuck’s sakes!_ ” finally got him to roll out of bed, albeit grudgingly, the alarm still screeching through the apartment.

He found Reever in the process of climbing on their counter, Komui spotting for him as he tried to turn off the alarm. Cross sighed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What are you doing?”

Komui yelped, though how he imagined Cross would be able to sleep through the racket they were making was beyond him. Reever, startled by Komui, pitched forward, and only managed to avoid cracking his head open by righting himself with Komui’s big head.

Komui wheezed, glasses askew. “Uh….birthday breakfast?”

“Some breakfast,” Reever muttered, sliding off the counter on shaky legs. The remains of what had been breakfast were still smoldering in the pan on the stovetop, reeking vaguely of eggs.

“It’s the thought that counts,” Komui sniffed, dumping the pan and contents into the sink with a sigh. “It would have been _better_ if we had known it was your birthday before the day.”

Cross yawned, hauling himself on the counter to shut off the fire alarm. “Speaking of, how did you find out?”

“The Campbells,” Reever and Komui said at once, sharing a look before Reever retreated toward the hallway. Cross dropped heavily onto the counter, rolling his eyes when Komui nudged him aside. “One of them came by last night to drop something off for you.”

“Yeah? Mana, probably.” He doubted Neah would make an effort to drag his shell of a body to their doorstep after midnight, and he certainly hadn’t shown up when Cross was still awake.

Komui shrugged, wrenching their kitchen window open to help the smell of burnt disperse, automatically moving to start up the coffee machine even though it was far too early for any of them to be up. “I honestly can’t tell them apart. It’s eerie.”

“You get used to it.”

Reever eventually joined them in the kitchen, setting a colorful box on Cross’s lap. “Here ya go. Happy birthday. You aren’t getting anything from us today because you’re an ass and didn’t tell us.”

“If you do my chem homework we can call it even.” Cross said, ripping into the wrapper and letting the shreds fall to the floor.

“Absolutely fucking not.” Reever took a coffee mug from Komui, peeking into the box curiously. “What’d the demon twins get you?”

Cross was pleasantly surprised to find that the box was not filled with dildos or Mana’s sheet music, but a handful of books, a bottle of red wine, and a pack of his favorite cigarettes. Also included in the box was Allen’s plush duck, a large round yellow thing that had seen better days, though Cross suspected that wasn’t supposed to be in there.

“That’s adorable,” Komui laughed into his coffee mug, plucking the duck out of the box. “Filthy, I’m sure, but adorable.”

“Maybe you should wash it before you give it back?” Reever slapped Komui’s hand lightly, letting the duck drop back into the box. “You _are_ going to give it back, right?”

“Of course I am. What am I going to do with a duck?” Cross finished his coffee with a groan, sliding off the counter. “Thanks for breakfast, sort of. I’m going back to sleep for another four hours, because it’s my birthday and I can.”

Box secure under his arm, Cross returned to his room, stopping to check his phone before dropping onto the bed. He had a few missed messages from Klaud, and one from Winters, which was surprising and horrifying.

He opened Klaud’s messages first, rolling his eyes as he scrolled down.

_I can’t believe you didn’t tell us it was your birthday you fuck_

_Its common courtesy_

_Its too early for this cross you are not getting birthday sex at ALL_ _L_

He considered not responding, but he was sure Klaud would see the read receipt sooner or later. He settled with a _sorry not sorry_ before moving on to Winters’ message.

He couldn’t say he wasn’t expecting a dick pic, but it wasn’t completely unwelcome. Maybe he could convince Winters to change Klaud’s mind for the night.

Content for the time being, Cross settled back in bed.


	11. Chapter 11

Komui genuinely enjoyed what he did. Science was a passion, and he never got bored of doing _more_.

However, there were times when science forced him into situations he just ended up regretting, like standing outside his apartment with Reever in the predawn light, freezing despite the layers upon layers he had on. Suitcase by his feet, sadly coffee and breakfast free, Komui felt there was very little that would make his morning better.

Then Cross pulled up to pick them up.

“Cross, you’re my best friend, and I love you, and I’d maybe probably take a bullet for you…” Komui sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose to stem the oncoming headache. “But this is too much. I can’t do it. You are asking too much of me.”

“Shut up and get in the fucking van, Komui.” And to Cross’s credit, he managed to remain calm over Reever’s sudden hysterical laughter.

Breathless and wheezing, Reever clung to Komui’s arm, mostly to avoid falling face first into a pile of slushy black ice. “You’re drivin’ a mom van! Cross! A fucking _mom van_!”

“Ree, darling, please control yourself,” Komui murmured, fighting and failing to keep the grin off his face. “Cross is trying to be the best mom he can be.”

Reever choked on a laugh, wiping the tears from his face with Komui’s sleeve. Cross shot him a sour look, leaning out the window of his extraordinarily ugly van. The paint was flaking off in patches, its ugly two-toned brown on brown color scheme reminding Komui of baby poop.

“How did you become this, Cross?” Komui asked, heaving himself into the passenger seat while Reever dove into one of the many back seats. “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

Cross, still surprisingly mellow for such early-morning bullshit, kicked the van into gear, rumbling down the icy streets to the dorms. “It’s all Neah’s fault.”

“Why does Campbell have a mom van?” Reever asked, sprawling out across three seats with a book in his lap. “Doesn’t he have some rich kid motorcycle?”

“The Campbells also have a toddler that can’t be strapped into a motorcycle.” Cross pulled up across the street from the Magdalene dorms, texting someone before tossing his phone into the catchall cup holder next to him. “He showed up and gave me a van because I watch Allen a lot. Or something.”

Komui twisted to look behind him, noting the baby car seat tucked into the very last seat in the van. “He just gave you a van?”

“Mm-hmm.” Cross sighed wearily, honking at the two figures slowly picking their way across the frozen grass. “Just threw the keys at me last week and took off. I’m going to murder him.”

“You’ve completed your transformation,” Komui whispered, mystified as Bak wrenched open the door behind him. “You’re finally a responsible adult. How do you feel?”

“Like it’s too early to be putting up with your bullshit,” Cross responded, glancing through the rearview mirror. “You fucks ready to go?”

“I can’t believe I ever agreed to be in this program,” Renny said, sitting directly behind Cross while Bak settled in the middle row. “If I have to share a hotel room with Bak someone _will_ die.”

“It’ll probably be me,” Bak supplied helpfully, curling up in his coat. “Someone please remind me why we’re doing this again?”

“Because we worked hard on our project for almost two years and we want it to count for something.” Reever intoned, head barely visible in the rearview mirror.

“Because we’re fucking nerds,” Cross said over him, easing the van down empty streets.

“This better be worth it,” Renny sighed, combing her fingers through her hair absently. “Five hours in a shitty van with you four.”

“Don’t forget we get to present to a bunch of kids at the competition too.” Komui added, cheerful tone undercutting the downright dangerous look in his eyes. “No swearing, no smoking, no drinking, no disorderly conduct, or our scholarships are on the line.”

“So basically no Cross.” Bak’s laugh quickly morphed into a squeak of outrage when Cross slammed on the breaks, sending everyone careening into the seat in front of them.

“Oops.” Cross sneered.  Komui rubbed his nose, pinching Cross’s arm as he pulled into the highway proper. “Better buckle up, kiddos! You don’t want to get hurt.”

Reever groaned, still halfway on the floor. “This is going to be the longest road trip _ever_.”

**Author's Note:**

> it's another college au pls don't look at me


End file.
